BY STEVE KRAH
Aaron Bond enjoyed his time on the diamond as a player. It had long been his intention to stayed involved.
“I knew I wanted to work in baseball, but I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do,” says Bond, a 2015 graduate of South Bend (Ind.) Clay High School who earned an associate degree while playing at San Jacinto (Texas) College before three seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization (2017-19) and parts of two campaigns in independent pro ball, wrapping up in 2021, and serving as the independent Pioneer League’s Director of Baseball Administration. “I started reaching out to teams about being a scout.”
After a few interviews did not lead to a job, Bond talked with the Cincinnati Reds about a seasonal position.
Shawn Pender, the Reds vice president of player development, knows 1st Source Bank Performance Center general manager/South Bend Cubs Foundation executive director Mark Haley and that led to an interview.
That conversation led to Bond being offered a chance to be a rehabilitation coach.
“At first I was a little nervous,” says Bond. “I don’t know anything about rehab. They explained it to me and told me it would just be the baseball side of it.”
When players came in for rehab and were cleared for defensive or runnings or a throwing program, Bond would assist them in that. He might be asked to throwing batting practice or swing a fungo bat.
In January 2023, Bond became a rehab coach based in Goodyear, Ariz. Jeremy Farrell is the Reds senior director of player development and Eric Gonzalez the director of rehab and physical therapy.
As a player, Bond was a 6-foot-5, 195-pound lefty-swinging, righty-throwing outfielder. He was an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association 4A first-team all-stater in 2015 for the Joel Reinebold-coached Clay Colonials and was selected in the 39th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, but opted to continue with college.
After Bond hit .355 (50-of-141) with nine homers, 10 doubles, 49 RBIs, 44 runs, 23 stolen bases and a 1.088 OPS (.471 on-base percentage plus .617 slugging average) over 54 games in the spring, the Giants picked him in the 12th round of the 2017 draft.
In 179 games in the system, his average was .240 (150-of-624) with 29 home runs, 12 triples, 26 doubles, 111 RBIs, 113 runs, 28 stolen bases and a .781 OPS (.321/.460).
While with the Class-A Augusta in the South Atlantic League, Bond got to compete against talented players like lefty-swinging shortstop Oneil Cruz (who made his MLB debut with the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates).
In 102 indy ball contests with Joliet (Ill.) Tully Monsters, Missoula (Mont.) PaddleHeads and Billings (Mont.) Mustangs, Bond hit .265 (97-of-366) with 17 homers, five triples, 27 doubles, 60 RBIs, 84 runs, 31 steals and a .897 OPS (.391/.506).
As a rehab coach, he got to work with big leaguers including infielders Elly De La Cruz and Nick Senzel, pitcher Hunter Greene and infielder/designated hitter Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
“I got to see how they go through their progression and how professional they took their work,” says Bond. “It was unbelievable.”
Bond was able to assist players in analyzing video and data like exit velocity and launch angle.
“I couldn’t work with every big leaguer the same,” says Bond. “They had their own progression, styles and things they liked to do. I had to figure out what they like best.”
While following a strict set of guidelines set by the rehab trainers, Bond would discern a player’s progress in his eyes and then ask questions of the trainers like: Ccan we do this? Are they clear to do soft toss or BP? Can we move this up because their defense (work) has been going really well? Can we move them up to a full range of motion on ground balls now?
Since Bond, 26, is not that far removed from playing he is able to relate with the players.
“I get the struggles they’re going through and it helps me connect with them on a deeper level,” says Bond. “Coaching has been a really cool experience.”
As a coach, Bond also keys in on the different ways that players take in and apply information.
“Some people are visual and they like to see video of their swing to know what adjustments they’ve got to make,” says Bond. “Each player. You can’t go at each player the same way. It’s building that foundation and getting to know the player, where they’re from and where they went to school.
“What helps them learn best?”
Bond has been back in South Bend for the past few weeks catching up with family and preparing for his next role with the Reds.
In 2024, he is to serve as a coach in the Dominican Summer League.
About a month ago, he spent a week in Santo Domingo where he got to observe a strength camp and get a feel for what living there will be like.
Through the St. Joe County Public Library in South Bend, Bond has been taking online Duolingo Spanish classes to ease communication with DSL Reds personnel and others.
“Their English is about as good as my Spanish so we’re going to help each other out,” says Bond. “It will be good.”
If time permits, Bond may get involved with holiday youth camps at 1st Source Bank Performance Center this month (he has been a part-time instructor there over the years).
The plan calls for him to go to the Dominican for four or five weeks for a workout camp followed by major league spring training in Arizona and then minor league spring training in the D.R.
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